Countering Draco Malfoy
by Raiast
Summary: Ginny discovers Malfoy's new mission on a trip to Diagon Alley, and plans a mission for herself to counter him. WIP, many other stories going right now.
1. Of Alleyway Encounters

"You go on ahead; I'm going to look around a bit more. I'll be _fine_, Hermione. I _promise_!" she added as Hermione gave her a concerned look. "I just want to look at a couple of these, they look really interesting."

"Your mum will butcher me if she finds out I've let you alone in Diagon Alley, Gin. _Especially_ with what's been happening lately."

"They won't find out!" Ginny assured her. "They won't, I promise."

"I'm trusting you, Ginny."

"I have the phone!" Ginny reminded her, pulling out the small plastic contraption that Hermione had brought her. "I know how to dial and everything, I'll call and check in."

Hermione hesitated. "…Oh, alright, if it's for books. But don't be long!"

"Fifteen minutes, twenty tops."

Hermione warily consented and paid for her books, leaving Ginny to browse around.

Forty-two minutes later Ginny glanced at her watch. "Merlin!" she looked at the price of the book she'd been skimming and put it back on the shelf regrettably. "Vultures," she muttered, leaving the store in haste.

She walked around quickly for a few minutes before realizing that she didn't know her destination. She pulled out the cellular phone, thanking Merlin that she didn't have to check every single store.

She dialed Hermione's phone and paused upon seeing her shoe was untied. She knelt down to correct it, pausing once Hermione answered.

"Hermione. Yes, sorry I lost track of time. Fred and George's? Yes, yes I'll be there in a few minutes I'm just blocks away."

She hung up and sighed, standing as she slid the phone back into her pocket. She had barely moved half a foot when a voice sounded from the alley next to her.

"Good shop. Didn't know that Weasleys knew how to run businesses."

Ginny froze, turning slowly to face the boy who had spoken. "What are _you _doing here?" she questioned. Her voice came out softer than she had expected, and surprised her almost as much as Draco Malfoy skulking around Diagon Alley in the middle of the day.

"I've got business to attend to, just as everyone else here."

"You've got some nerve," Ginny said hotly, taking a bold step towards him and into the shadows. He backed away a few feet. "Showing your face in public after what you did."

"I did nothing. _You _of all people should know that."

"You let them in. Do you have any idea the consequences of letting _filth_ like that into our school? Do you have any idea what happened to my brother?" she hissed, taking two more steps into the alley.

He backed up a few more steps and shrugged casually. "I was just doing my job."

"You're despicable," Ginny breathed.

"It was my job," he repeated. "But no matter; I didn't kill him, and now I have a different mission."

"How's it feel, serving that _thing_?"

"How did it feel being in love with its _diary_?" he shot back icily. His light eyes danced as Ginny felt tears fill her eyes.

"That's in the past."

"As is my involvement in the attack at Hogwarts," another step back.

"That's way different, and _stop_ backing away from me, you coward!" she hissed, taking two more steps forward.

A smirk crossed his face, and he shook his head. "You Weasels…you rose to the bait, just like I knew you would, just like you _always_ do," he sneered. He took a small step forward, something that remained imperceptible to Ginny. "Ever stop to think that, _possibly_, I was simply trying to lure you out of the crowded street?"

The words registered through Ginny's brain and she didn't even have time to start to grab for her wand before she was spun around and held tightly against his chest, with one hand tightly around her waist and the other covering her mouth _and _her nose—_tightly_.

She made a pitiful noise and struggled against him as he pulled her further into the alley. "You're very stupid, Red, I must say. Stupider that your _brother_, if it's possible. Hmm," he contemplated slowly. Ginny's hands clawed and tugged at his arm with growing futility as she found that she needed air worse and worse. "I suppose if I conducted a test of some sort it would be easier to figure out…ah, well, no time for that now."

Ginny tried to suck air through his hand but alas, it was far too solid. She made another small noise and tugged at his arm harder, trying to get him to understand that she was about to pass out. The dark alley grew darker as her vision faded in and out surreally.

She tried yelling 'I can't breathe!' to him, and was almost positive that he had understood, but his grip remained as firm as ever. She began to feel herself going limp and falling to the ground, held up only by his pale arm clutching her middle. He yanked her up forcibly and pulled her head back so his lips were right to her ear. "Do you promise to be good, if I let go?"

Ginny made another noise and nodded as best she could. She would agree to anything if she could just breathe air again.

"No funny business," he added to her softly, threateningly. "No running or yelling." Ginny nodded again and tried to, again, pull his hand from her mouth.

He reached into her pocket and removed her phone and wand in slow motion, as if testing how long she could go before passing out. Before she realized what was happening, he had thrown her away from him. She caught herself on the opposite wall, doubled over and took loud, gasping breaths. Like a wind he was behind her again, his hand on her shoulder.

"Shh, shh," he whispered in her ear softly as she heaved for more oxygen. The air of the alley had never tasted so sweet. "Shh, now, quietly," he warned her.

Ginny took another sobbing breath and turned her face to him fearfully. She hated that she was afraid of him. "What do you want with me?"

"Your cooperation," he stated, as if it were obvious. He glanced around them. "They'll be coming for you soon, if you don't show up at the shop."

Ginny knew this to be true and envisioned the Trio walking in on the scene at any moment. She wasn't so lucky.

"You're going to gather information. I know you have ways of getting it," he added accusingly when Ginny showed signs of protest. "I _know_ you do, and you will, and you will pass it to me."

"Dream on!" Ginny had barely spoken the words before Malfoy's hand pinned her against the wall by her throat.

"You _will_," he assured her. "And it would be best for you to not try anything tricky, because I have people to watch your every move."

"Why me?" Ginny still wasn't sure about the concept.

"I would think it was obvious," he listed the reasons off on his fingers, "You're close to Potter and Friends, you're good at getting information other's wouldn't be able to, but most of all, no one notices you," the words stung Ginny and she found this to be true as well. "And because no one notices you, no one notices you listening in. Understand?"

Ginny glared at him. "And _what _makes you think that I'm going to do this for you? Have you gone nutters, Malfoy?"

"I know, because if you don't, well, there are a lot of options on that one…" he trailed off, chuckling softly.

"What makes you think I won't die to protect the Order?"

The phone that currently resided in Malfoy's pocket began to ring. He pulled it out and glanced at it. "It's the Mudblood."

"I will die for the Order," Ginny answered her own question. "Death threats won't break me," she stood, tall and erect, with a determined air about her.

Malfoy only chuckled again at this, shook his head, and, leaning to her ear again, breathed: "What makes you think I would kill _you_?" The cell phone ceased to ring, and then started again after a minute. "So?"

"I can offer you better," Ginny informed him softly.

"What's that?" he sounded almost interested.

"A place to hide. A chance to live—_truly live_," she stressed slightly. "Give me a day or so, and I can get you and your mother in. We can protect you."

He laughed bitterly and her and sneered. "You're pathetic. What makes you think that this isn't what I want?"

"I know it's not," Ginny confided. "Just as Harry knows. You can't do this; this isn't the life you deserve. You belong with us."

"What makes you think that, little weasel?" he laughed once more, though it seemed that he was losing confidence in his own argument.

"Your hesitation."

He stared at her for a moment before sneering. "I'll keep in contact. Remember, one wrong move…" he tossed her the phone, which had started ringing for a third time, and tossed her wand away from him before disappearing with a crack into the shadows.


	2. Of Denial and Detention

"What _took _you so long?" Hermione bombarded her the second she walked into Fred and George's shop.

"I got held up, sorry."

"I called you three times!"

"You did? Oh, look at that! I must have accidentally turned off my phone. I'm sorry Hermione."

"I was worried about you, Gin."

"Well I'm fine," Ginny responded, quite far from the truth though it was. Ginny was still shaken by the encounter. _He has people watching me? Like who, Slytherins? Easy enough to avoid them…_

"What held you up?"

"More a question of whom," Ginny corrected. "Dean saw me and pulled me aside for a moment. He was wondering if we might possibly start up again this year."

"What did you say?" Hermione asked, pulling her to an empty corner of the store.

"No, of course," Ginny laughed softly, trying to play it cool. "I'm quite sick of him."

Hermione nodded, but kept her lips pursed, an odd expression covering her features.

"Let's go, guys!" Ron called from the door. "Time to get home!"

"But I've just got here!" Ginny protested.

"Not our fault, is it? Considering you were so hung up on chatting with _Dean_," Hermione lashed at her softly, walking away briskly.

Ginny followed, an odd feeling settling in her stomach. _Things are about to get very complicated, I wager…_

**-------------------------------------------------I will give you-------------------------------------------------**

"Who was it?" Hermione asked her once the door had been shut behind them.

Ginny pulled her nightgown out of her wardrobe. "You were waiting to ask that all through supper, weren't you?" Ginny asked coolly. She had been expecting it, after all.

"Who was it?" Hermione asked again softly.

"Quite a pointless question, since I've already told you. I was talking with Dean."

Hermione gave her an annoyed look. Her voice stressed the seriousness of the questioning. "Ginny, Dean left the store two minutes before you came in."

Ginny's stomach twisted into knots as her alibi fell apart before her eyes.

"Have you started seeing someone knew already?"

"No," Ginny tried to remain cool; breaking under pressure now could lead to serious consequences for her, as well as for whomever Malfoy decided to take from her.

"Then what took you?"

Ginny turned away from the nosy girl as she pulled on her nightgown.

"Ginny, _answer_ me, or I'll be _forced_ to talk to Ron and Harry about it."

Ginny spun around. "Don't you dare!"

Hermione crossed her arms and began tapping her foot impatiently. "Then tell me."

"No. I don't feel it's any of your business."

Hermione frowned, uncrossed her arms, and walked up to Ginny, staring at her hard. After a moment she spoke, the annoyed tone in her voice shifting to a concerned one. "Ginny, what happened to you today?"

Ginny looked away from her friend, trying to conceal the terror that Malfoy had instilled in her. _Terror?_ _Since when am I _terrified _of Malfoy?_

"Ginny?"

"Please don't ask me again, Hermione. Just leave it. Nothing happened; I'm fine."

"Obviously not!" Hermione ducked around her to face Ginny again. "I can see it in your eyes, Ginny. It's ringing clear in your voice. _Something _happened, and I want to know what it was!"

A knock sounded at the door, followed by Ron's head poking in the door. "Gin, mum wants to talk to you."

Ginny nodded and left abruptly, avoiding more questioning from Hermione. She had one more week of holiday to withstand Hermione's interrogating. Hopefully in that time she wouldn't talk to Ron or Harry.

_When we get back to school it'll be much easier to avoid her…_Ginny thought that night as she lie awake in bed. _Avoid her…I'm avoiding Hermione for _Malfoy…_this is completely pathetic. I'm not doing anything for that stupid wanker._

As Ginny found out in the months to come, thinking about opposing Malfoy and actually doing it were two very different things.

**-------------------------------------------------Everything you want-------------------------------------------------**

The first week of school passed by without excitement, everyone falling into their usual rhythm of classes and studies and, for Ginny at least, detention.

"Glad to see you're punctual this time, Miss Weasley."

"I'm so sorry, Professor Slughorn. I would tell you my story, but I don't believe in excuses."

"Ah, a very wise decision. As I said earlier, so sorry to have to give you detention Miss Weasley, but I can't very well let one student get away with being tardy, even _if _their in the Slug Club! Well if I did, I'd have a mutiny on my hands, wouldn't I?"

Ginny resisted the strong urge to roll her eyes. "Yes, sir."

"So, I think organizing the storage cabinet, sans magic, of course. Alphabetically, if you would," Slughorn headed for the door.

"Er, where are you going, sir?"

"I've got a bit of business to get to, if you'd excuse me, once he gets here…ah, yes, wonderful, wonderful, dear boy!" Slughorn gave the boy a hearty slap on the back as he entered. "You two have met, yes? Yes, I thought so. Alright, Miss Weasley, Blaise here will be overseeing your detention."

Ginny groaned inwardly. _So much for avoiding the Slytherins_.

"To your satisfaction, I suppose, Blaise. But, classes tomorrow so don't keep her too late will you?"

Blaise Zabini eyed Ginny with a mingled look of interest and contempt. "Of course not, Professor."

"Very good, very good!" he laughed as the door swung shut behind him.

Ginny turned her back on the boy instantly, scanning the vials for the letter that should go first and placing it in the top left corner of the cabinet.

She had barely rearranged four bottles when Zabini cleared his throat and spoke up.

"I can make this easy for you, you know."

Ginny turned to him, scowling at the interruption. "What's _that _supposed to mean?"

"It's quite simple," he hopped off of the desk he'd been sitting on and strolled over to her. "Quite simple indeed. You help out my mate, Draco, and I'll reorganize this _for _you."

Ginny tried to put on a haughty air, turning back to her work. "I can do it myself, thanks."

She felt him crouch down next to her. "I'm not quite sure you understand," he breathed softly. "Draco will kill someone if you don't do this. Don't know who yet, but he'll pick _some_one."

"No he won't," Ginny shook her head. "He hasn't got it in him. He's not a murderer."

"You'd be surprised what Draco can do."

"He _can't_," Ginny argued, turning to the boy again. "And he _won't_. And I won't betray the Order."

Zabini sighed and drew out his wand. Ginny felt her muscles tense slightly.

He looked at her pointedly. "You're sure on this?"

Ginny pushed any fear from her mind. "I've never been so sure about anything else in my life."

He flicked his wand and muttered a spell. "_Compositus_."

The potion vials flew into the air, spinning around before placing themselves on the shelf, _in alphabetical order_.

Ginny was slightly confused. "Why did you do that?"

"So sorry, but it seems that you blood-traitors like to make things far more difficult than they need to be."

"Sorry?" Ginny questioned. Had he just said sorry? "Sorry for--?"

"_Imperio_."

Ginny felt her mind haze over; she felt as though she were floating in a dreamscape.

"Sorry for _that_," he clarified. "Now, you're going to do as I say. Collect information about the Order, anything you can get and anything you already know. When Draco mails you, you're to reply with the information. You will not talk about your encounter with Draco or about this encounter right now. Other than the spying, you're to act completely normal, as if nothing has changed, understood?"

Ginny found that it was quite a task just to keep her eyes open, let alone argue with the tricky Slytherin, so she simply nodded and mumbled an 'alrighty, then'.

"Excellent."

**-------------------------------------------------If you only say-------------------------------------------------**

"How was detention?" Hermione asked when she walked into the Common Room a while later. Blaise had told her to go to the library for a while, trying to ward off any suspicion she might attract from only being in detention for twenty minutes.

"Detention?" Ginny thought on it, realizing she wasn't quite sure _how _detention went.

"What did you have to do?"

"Organize the storage cabinet. It was that bad, really."

Hermione nodded, pulling Ginny aside. "Listen, I can't help but notice that you've been avoiding me and—"

"Hermione," Ginny cut in, but she continued.

"_And_ I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to drop it…for now."

Ginny felt a surge of gratitude for the brunette. "There's nothing to drop, Hermione."

She gave Ginny a wary look, but turned away, back to Harry and Ron. "How's the game coming?"

Ginny went up to her dorm, not interested in how badly Ron was beating Harry.

**------------------------------------------------- 'Please' and 'Thank you'-------------------------------------------------**

Her first letter came that night, as she lay awake in bed, listening to her slumbering dormmates.

The window was open, as the weather was still unusually warm for fall, so the great eagle-owl flew right in and landed on her nightstand.

'_Greetings Weasley –_

_I trust you're feeling more cooperative this week. I'm sending you this charmed parchment, so I can reach you faster. What have you got for me?_'

She got up and pulled out a quill and small bottle of ink. It was a vivid green. Harry had seen her admiring it in a shop and bought it for her. She felt traitorous using it to write to Malfoy.

'_Plenty._ _But how about a please first?'_

She watched in amazement as words melted onto the parchment right below her own. She suppressed a shudder as she thought of Riddle's diary.

'_Green ink, huh? Strange choice for a Gryffindor. Please tell me what you know._'

Ginny smirked as she replied, writing anything that came to mind

'_Well I know that you must be very desperate for answers if you relinquished to my request so quickly…and that Luna Lovegood still has a crush on you…and that Lavender Brown's mum didn't let her come back this year, _and _that Parkinson is positively miserable without you here…is that enough for you?_'

She could tell he was irritated by his reply.

'_That's enough, Weasley. I'm a busy man. Tell me what you know—about the Order._'

Ginny sighed. _Well it worked for a little bit…_

'_Okay, Malfoy. You win. I heard the Kingsley Shacklebolt is protecting the muggle Prime Minister. Whether it's true or not is up to you to find out, that's just what I heard._'

There was a pause, then:

'_Who said it?_'

Ginny sighed again as her hand tugged the quill into motion. She was unable to stop from writing the response.

'_Harry told Ron._'

'_And he found out from…_'

Ginny felt the need to write the name, but found that it was more difficult to actually follow the command than to resist it.

'_Dumbledore_' she wrote at long last.

'_Nice. What else?_'

'_Lupin is spying on Greyback's pack_.'

'…_Is he now? That could prove to be some interesting material…is that all?_'

Ginny hesitated. Blaise hadn't told her to tell Malfoy _everything_.

'_Yes_.'

'_I'll be keeping in touch._'

She was about to put her things in her trunk when another line appeared on the parchment.

'_And Weasley, for _your _sake, keep this parchment away from prying eyes._'

She stuffed it into the bottom on her trunk and locked it, falling on her bed and into sleep quickly.

**-------------------------------------------------That's all for now-------------------------------------------------**

Hope I didn't do too horribly…lemme know please I really really need feedback.


	3. Of Conferences and Curses

Sooooo sorry this took so long…you all must thing I've just dropped off the face of the Earth! I haven't forgotten about my (surprisingly) loyal readers, though, or all of the loose ends I still need to tie up in…just about every story. I watched Red Eye again today (absolutely AMAZING movie), which I seem to believe led me to dream about the first chapter of this story, due to the evil, Cillian Murphey-like Draco sooo…yes…yes.

**-----------------------------------And now that we've finally reached the end, it's finally time to begin again-----------------------------------**

Over the next few weeks, Malfoy kept true to his word, writing to her every few days. It was when he began to question her everyday, now for the third day in a row, that she finally snapped.

'_It's been about six hours; did you really expect me to find anything else out?'_

The response was delayed, but as Malfoyishly arrogant and infuriating as usual.

'_Well for a _proper _spy, yes. So…I suppose not.'_

Ginny huffed, acutely aware that she actually felt offended that he ridiculed her spying abilities.

'_I can spy just fine, thank you very much. Just give me some time.'_

'_I've given you plenty of time. Three weeks, almost, and what have I gotten? Two tidbits of useful information and random gossip going about the school. You know, just because it pertains to me doesn't mean that I care that Loony and Parkinson are battling for my affection, especially seeing as how I'm not even in the same country.'_

Ginny stared at the words, dumbfounded. She poised her quill, then laid it down, then picked it up again, hesitating so long that a drop of ink fell from the tip and disappeared into the parchment.

Seeing the small blob of purple (she had switched inks after the first night) dissolve was enough to snap her back to reality.

'_Not in England? Where are you?'_

'_That hardly matters, does it?'_

'_On the contrary, I think it matters very much.'_

He didn't respond for a moment, and Ginny found herself imagining Malfoy hidden in the mountains of Switzerland, or sunbathing on the beaches of Spain. She didn't think that a pale number such as himself would really actually sunbathe, but the thought of Malfoy _hiding_ didn't seem right either. He may have fled the country, but he was _far _too arrogant to hide.

'_Well you would, you're a Weasley, and Weasleys usually think that stupid, trivial stuff like that matters. Stupidity. Tell me something else or stop wasting my time.'_

Ginny scowled at the insult, as well as the command.

'_No. I don't think I will, seeing as how you'll probably just find it stupid and trivial anyways. Ta.'_

On that note, she capped her ink and shoved the parchment to the bottom of her trunk. She barely noticed the odd looks from her dormmates as she muttered angrily to herself on her way out of the room.

**-------------------------------------------------Tell me you want me-------------------------------------------------**

Ginny had been reading the same line from her potion's text for five minutes straight. Every time she tried to move on she found her mind wandering off to Malfoy, intensely curious about where he was, if not in England, and plotting little plans that ended either in his "tragic" demise, or joining the Order. His imminent death seemed to have so many more possibilities, and a hell of a lot better odds.

"Lupin owled me today," Ginny's ears automatically tuned to catch the boy's familiar voice. If Lupin was owling Harry it was likely that the contents concerned the Order in some aspect.

Hermione whispered something indecipherable, but Harry's voice still carried through the shelves that parted them.

"He said that he had to leave, because the pack turned on him. He made it out alright; he's at the Order now. I don't understand…How could Greyback possibly suspect Lupin?"

"Maybe he found that information was being leaked and turned his suspicions to the last to join the pack. Lupin _was _a fairly new addition," Hermione stated.

Her brother's voice rang out next, "Maybe there's a leak, yeah…but in the Order! Oh, bloody hell…who do you think it is?"

Ginny heard something that sounded suspiciously like a hand hitting the back of her brother's empty head. "There's no spy in the Order, Ron. Everyone that joined was approved by Dumbledore. He trusted everyone."

"And look what it got him," Harry's voice was soft, and Ginny had to lean over in her chair to make him out. "Trusted Snape, didn't he?"

Ginny half expected Hermione to protest to this, but silence hung over the Trio heavily.

"That's not all he told me," Harry continued even quieter. "He also said that the Order took the Malfoy Manor last night. Said it was cleared out. Anything of real value was gone."

"They took _everything_?" Hermione sounded incredulous.

_Of course they did…_Ginny thought contemptuously. _Stupid git can't even flee properly…has to go get all of his pretty little robes and dangerous little knick-knacks first_.

"Everything but the bodies in the dungeons…and I guess there were quite a few."

"Merlin," Hermione breathed.

Ron whispered something that Ginny couldn't make out, probably the same thing she was thinking.

Harry's voice dropped down another notch. Ginny leaned out just a few more inches and gave out a surprised yelp when she and her chair hit the ground.

She heard the three stand quickly and whip around the side of the bookcase.

"Oh, Ginny, it's just you. Thought someone was listening in," Harry sounded somewhat relieved.

Ginny glanced down to the quill she still held in her hand. "No, no. I, uh, dropped my quill. Tried to lean out to get it and, you know, gravity…"

She hated lying to them. She looked from Harry, who was nodding understandingly, to Ron, who was openly gawking at Padma Patil's _very_ mini-skirt, to Hermione, who, to Ginny's surprise, was studying her thoroughly, her eyebrows knit in a furrow over narrowed, apprehensive eyes.

"Be more careful, right?" she suggested suddenly.

"Er, yeah. Thanks, Hermione."

Harry shook Ron's arm and tugged him back around the other side of the bookshelves to their seats. Hermione followed up the rear, glancing back to Ginny once more to mouth the words "we need to talk".

**-------------------------------------------------And I'll give you my body-------------------------------------------------**

"You know you're doing that all wrong, right?"

Ginny scoffed. "And _what_, exactly, does a _Slytherin_ know about _cleaning_?"

"I know enough to know that you aren't doing it right."

Ginny growled, spinning around to face the infuriating boy. "What are you doing?" he didn't answer her, but raised one eyebrow in question. "You aren't every teacher's favorite student. How is it that you are overseeing all of my detentions?"

"How is it that you're _getting_ so many detentions? I _do _have a life, you know."

Ginny turned back to the window, squirting cleaner on it and pretending the glass was Blaise Zabini's eyes. "I don't need a babysitter," was all she said.

"Draco obviously thinks you do."

She turned again, meeting the boy's eyes in a hard stare. "What, he's telling you to watch me?" she didn't even give him time to answer. "Ugh, of _course _he is."

"Not _watch_ you; per se…just to…keep an eye on you…make sure you don't do anything stupid. …Which, of course, in itself is a full time job," Zabini went back to studying his nails and picking at them as if there were actually a flaw. "Why aren't you doing your job?"

Ginny frowned, hopping off the desk to begin polishing it. "I _am _doing my job…you made sure of that, didn't you?"

"Not your _real_ job, though, are you? Or Draco wouldn't be complaining like he is."

"Well _Draco_ can just eat it. I'm doing the best I can."

Zabini gave a small laugh, "Oh I highly doubt that."

Ginny took a deep breath, moving on to another desk, shaking her head. "I don't understand," she looked up at Zabini, making sure she had his eye before continuing. He stared back at her indifferently. "I have nothing to give him. I don't have what he wants."

"That'll be all for tonight, Miss Weasley. And the next time you fall asleep in class, do try not to curse at the teacher that awakens you," Professor McGonagall stood in the doorway, nodding her dismissal.

Ginny and Blaise filed out of the room, but Blaise caught her hand before she could take two steps away, tugging her close. "Don't have what he wants, eh?" he glanced over his shoulder to make sure Professor McGonagall was still in her classroom. "Then I suggest you get it. Fast."

**-------------------------------------------------But tell me you love me-------------------------------------------------**

'_They took your house.'_

Ginny sighed, moving from a sitting position to lying on her stomach, her feet hanging over the edge of her bed.

'_I know.'_

'_So you really aren't in England?'_

'_That's what I said, isn't it? Honestly Weasley, you act as if you can't trust me or something.'_

Ginny frowned, taking a deep breath, trying hard to remain calm.

'_Oh yes, do forgive me, it must of slipped my mind how I am able to trust you with my life…and the lives of others.'_

'_Oh don't be like that, now Weasley…you'd do the same thing.'_

"What?"

"What?" Ginny looked up at Hermione, who, at that moment, was trying to read the contents of the parchment upside down.

"What?" Ginny tugged the parchment away.

Hermione laughed. "You said 'what', but to yourself…there's no one else in here."

Ginny frowned at the nosy girl, "I know, that's the beauty of _privacy_…you can talk to yourself all you want."

Hermione sighed. "I know you don't want me here, Gin, but you've avoided me long enough. We have to talk."

"I'm kind of busy right now, Hermione."

Hermione frowned, sitting on the bed next to Ginny. Ginny jumped up, snatching up the parchment as she went. "Yeah. Sure. Really busy…writing things down on a piece of parchment? Making a 'to do' list, maybe?" Hermione stood, following Ginny's footsteps as she backed away from the girl. "Writing a letter, Gin?"

Hermione made to take the parchment, but Ginny spun out of the way, clutching it to her chest. "It's really none of your business. We'll talk later, Hermione. I have to do something."

Hermione straightened. "Fine."

Ginny sat down on the side of her bed, laying the parchment on her nightstand and recovering her quill from the bed.

'_What are you talking about? I would never do that.'_

"Never do what?"

Ginny nearly jumped out of her skin as Hermione's voice sounded from over her shoulder. In her shocked state, it was easy for Hermione to seize the paper, scanning it as she hopped out of Ginny's reach.

"Wait…" Hermione stopped moving and Ginny took the parchment back. "That's charmed."

Ginny found herself actually sneering at Hermione. "Oh, very good, doll," she glanced down at the paper where Malfoy's newest response had appeared.

'_You'd be surprised what you would do…when you have no other choice.'_

"You…oh, Ginny, you're not…tell me you're not."

"What?"

"Talking to Malfoy."

Ginny tried to laugh, found the noise sounded entirely fake and stopped. "And _how _did you come to _that_ conclusion?"

"'They took you're house'? We were just talking about that in the library yesterday, when you "fell". You _were_ listening in."

Ginny felt her mouth open, but her brain supplied her with no words.

"You're passing him information…you're telling him all of the Order's secrets! Oh, Merlin, Ron was right," she sat down then, placing a hand on her forehead. "Ginny how could you?"

Ginny's mouth snapped shut and opened angrily. "You don't know what you're talking about," she hissed.

Hermione stood. "I do so! Why are you doing it?"

Ginny stared at her blankly, reaching discretely behind her to her nightstand.

"Tell me, Ginny. What's to be gained from telling him _anything_?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hermione," Ginny repeated softly.

"I do! Don't say—"

"No," Ginny interrupted. "You don't," she pulled her wand out from behind her, aiming it squarely at Hermione's face. "_Obliviate!_"

Hermione's eyebrows rose, then fell into a blank confusion as the spell hit her. "What…am I doing up here?"

Ginny laughed. "You've been hitting the books too hard, Hermione! You came up to talk to me, but I'm a tad busy right now…I'll be down in a few minutes."

Hermione nodded, frowning, turned and exited the room. Ginny followed her to the door, shutting it behind the unfortunate, bushy-haired girl. "I'm so sorry, Hermione," she whispered to the carved oak. "So sorry."

She returned to her bed where the parchment lay, forgotten. She glanced at Malfoy's last statement again.

'_You'd be surprised what you would do…when you have no other choice.'_

She considered telling him of the incident, but decided against it. If he knew that Hermione had found out he would think she was being careless, and didn't care, and then he might decide to do something to convince her to take the ordeal more seriously. Instead, she picked up her quill and dipped it in her ink once more.

'_I suppose you're right…'_

**-------------------------------------------------And I'll give you the world-------------------------------------------------**

Hope that's satisfactory for you all….have fun waiting another six months for me to update…hehehe…no, I'll try not to wait that long next time. But hey, thanks for…still reading…you guys are great!


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